Skirted furniture has always felt inherently uncool. But recently the unexpected has happened and that has all changed – with ruffles, box pleats and softly draped furniture signaling a seriously stylish home.
Starting to pick up popularity last year, this once-considered dated furniture trend felt unapologetically old-fashioned – like something you'd find in a forgotten corner of my Grandmother's home. But lately, I've had a change of heart thanks to designers and furniture makers making quite the case for skirted furniture for this year's interior design trends.
Back in a big way, I'm the first to admit that I'm now obsessed with all things skirts. From completely cottagecore frills to more modern drapery, skirted furniture adds warmth and a nostalgic charm I didn't realize my home was missing. And perhaps yours is too.
So, what changed my mind? As with most trends, it started with fashion's love of flounce and frills that had me realizing my home just had far too many minimalist tendencies and was crying out for a little skirt action.
Many of us have been looking to embrace more vintage trends in contemporary settings this year, with more nostalgic and traditional interior design styles taking homes by storm of late. Cottagecore and grandmillenial decor ideas have soared, making a desire for skirted furniture feel perfectly acceptable in 2025.
Additionally, it is actually really quite practical. Hiding a world of sins, adding a skirt to many furniture pieces means you can not only add personality, but hide storage underneath, like this ruffled banquette seat in a soft pastel kitchen designed by Vaughan Design & Developments. The bed skirt trend also encourages you to add a valance to a box spring bed to disguise hidden drawers or boxes with color or pattern.
And of course, I started noticing skirted and pleated pieces popping up at some of my favorite retailers too.
As seen above, in the new Lulu & Georgia spring collection, whimsical skirted ottomans were paired in harmony with a tailored, box-pleated couch and modern decor to prove that transitional design and old-meets-new styling is the way to create spaces that 'feel alive' in 2025.
Meanwhile, they're also being championed at Serena & Lily. Chief design officer Kirsty Williams says, 'Skirted pieces always work and open up possibilities in a space as they aren’t battling leg finishes, styles, colors, or other materials (as you might encounter trying to complement leg finishes with coffee tables, side tables and other hardlines). They effectively act as a neutral and help create a moment of visual calm,' Kirsty suggests.
So after weeks of scrolling, shopping, (and rearranging my living room more times than I’d like to admit), I’ve found the skirted pieces that have completely won me over. Whether you’re looking for a statement sofa or a timeless ottoman, these are the buys that turned me from a skirted furniture skeptic into a full-blown convert.
Shop the skirted furniture trend
Designed with Studio McGee for Threshold™ at Target, this box pleat arm chair was one of the first pieces that won me over. In a moody modern mushroom hue, this feels both traditional yet contemporary and chic.
Gingham and frills will always be a match made in heaven, but if this beige checked print isn't for you, this hand-upholstered skirted ottoman is also available in 37 other beautiful prints and plains.
I hadn't come across the Threshold range of slipcovered chairs until now but I'm really impressed with their offering of modern, on-trend prints including this burgundy pomegranate and floral pattern finished with a ruffle.
To really amp up the comfort in your kitchen or dining room, this relaxed linen armless settee is perfect for creating an instant banquette. Simply pull up a table and you're good to go.
Matching the box pleat arm chair above, this upholstered ottoman is seen here in a neutral shade which you can mix 'n' match or get yourself a matching pair for your living room, nursery, or reading nook.
A stand-out piece from the spring Lulu & Georgia collection – this 'sesame' color box pleated couch has the perfect amount of retro appeal that still remains contemporary and on-trend.
Serena & Lily are truly invested in the skirt trend, offering pleated sofas, ottomans, chairs, and even fully upholstered beds. Made with impeccable tailoring, this deep navy stool can be covered in an array of colors or prints of your choice.
Of course, the cheapest and easiest way to buy into this trend is with a simple bed skirt. You just pop it on under your mattress to add a soft drape to your bedframe that can add print, color, or hide storage.
On-trend and beautifully elegant, this traditional accent chair from the Anthropologie spring collection is covered in a green-gray foliage print that can also be found on the Irena Pied-A-Terre Bed and Bowen Ruffle Sofa.
Whether you’re ready to dive headfirst into the trend with a skirted sofa or simply want to test the waters with a bed skirt, I promise you won’t regret giving this classic detail a second look. Skirted furniture is proof that sometimes, the design trends we once ruled as dated can end up being the ones we love the most.
For more vintage trend inspiration, 1stDibs just revealed the vintage trends we are all going to be shopping this year in their new shopping report.
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